Good afternoon, Sadgurlz!
I started a Broadcast channel on Instagram where I asked for suggestions for today’s newsletter. The topic of taking accountability while sad was posted, and it felt super timely, honestly. Especially since I’ve been slowed down, dropping balls, and scrambling while I’ve been sad (and then sick, which also made me sad).
I’ll be posting audio alongside the text in case you rather listen 💗
I wrote in a past post about my anxiety causing friction in one of my friendships, and here is one of the lessons I learned from that encounter:
Being sad or nervous is an explanation for some behaviors but doesn’t take away from the damage your anxiety can cause to others….
I’ve also written about my forgetfulness and propensity to go ghost when I’m overwhelmed. I know these aren’t the greatest traits, and although my depression and anxiety are explanations for all of it, that doesn’t make the other person feel any better, does it? Your behavior, even while sad, ripples out and affects others whether you mean it or not.
But that’s where things get tricky.
Depression drains you of energy. You can’t even brush your teeth, let alone get dressed and ready to hang out with friends. So, you cancel plans. But your friend is left without their brunch buddy, wondering what’s going on.
Depression makes you lose interest in things you once enjoyed. The other day I remembered this video I posted. And wow, I was sadder than I remember and I’m grateful for overcoming the worst of it. I’ve written about feeling discarded while I was depressed, and I definitely was, but I also did much of it to myself. I lost interest in hobbies I enjoyed with others, which left many people wondering where I’d gone.
Being sad is a horrible experience, and being severely depressed is scary. It’s overwhelming. It feels like someone’s thrown blackout curtains over your brain. But we’re all still in this together. Don’t forget there are other people in your life. People you can reach out to, lean on, and communicate with. And they’re allowed to feel disappointed or pushed away, or even sad themselves when they’ve been hurt by your feels—even if you don’t mean it.
The best thing to do? Reflect, reach out, and be candid about how you’re feeling. Apologize when you need to. And don’t stop trying to overcome.
🌸The rest of this post is for upgraded Sadgurlz🌸
Last year, I wrote a post titled “Why are you gay?”. And while, I still don’t have an answer, I do have thoughts!